You’ve probably seen remarkable images of irrigated land, rich with crops, in the midst of barren desert. New approaches are helping to alleviate hunger by developing crops in some of the most forbidding places on earth—but at what cost to the environment?
Explorers Ben Saunders and Tarka L’Herpiniere recently made history when they completed the 1,795 mile journey from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole and back. With links to their blog, maps, activities, and more, this site provides an in-depth look at one of the most amazing stories of polar exploration in history.
During World War II, Corrie ten Boom and her family hid hundreds of Jews from the Nazis. After they were betrayed by a fellow Dutch citizen, the entire family was imprisoned. Corrie survived and later told her story in the book The Hiding Place. Read this article to find out more about this courageous woman.
Solomon Northup was a free man living in New York. In 1841, he was lured south and kidnapped and spent more than a decade enslaved. He recorded his experiences in the book 12 Years a Slave, which has been made into an Academy-award winning film. Read this article to find out more about Northup’s struggle for freedom.
Archaeological evidence now supports the idea that the city of Troy was not only larger and more important than previously realized, but that it also may have been able to withstand a ten year siege, just as Homer reported in the Iliad. Was the war really about the kidnapping of Helen? Or might it have been about the city’s overwhelming power? Read to find out.
Many Americans know that the United States and the Soviet Union narrowly avoided nuclear war in 1962. Very few, however, know that poet Robert Frost met with the Premier of the Soviet Union, Nikita Khrushchev, just as the nuclear crisis got underway. Read this article by Stewart L. Udall to find out why the poet and the premier met, and discover what happened.
Sometimes the scariest things we face aren’t even real, and unreal things can be mighty scary. Check out this list of common nightmares to find out what might cause each one. Then, the next time you wake up frightened by a dream, ask yourself, “was that nightmare trying to tell me something?”
It’s easy enough for most of us to identify different types of intelligence in human beings. After all, we’re human, and we know a lot about our own kind. But have you ever wondered how people identify types of intelligence in animals? Check out this summary of ways that we identify and evaluate intelligence in the non-human world.
Human beings have been telling tales for a very, very long time. Check out this site to learn about four tales you may never have heard before, the stories of the Queen of Sheba, Shangri-La, King Arthur, and Jason and the Argonauts.
Before South Africa’s late president Nelson Mandela was an inspiring world leader, he was a prisoner, jailed for 27 years for his actions opposing his country’s apartheid rule. Watch dramatic video documenting his release from prison in 1990.
People often refuse to see facts that disprove a common belief. This excerpt from the book You Are Now Less Dumb by David McRaney examines why we stick to easily-disproved ideas and how we can get smarter about what we see and think.
Protest songs often document or even fuel the desire for political change. This New York Times article examines the importance of music in the revolutions of the Arab Spring.
Adaptations of fairy-tales are nothing new, but a few years ago, they started popping up on prime time television. What would the Brothers Grimm have thought? Check out this report to see what’s going on—and why.
Trees that seem to reach out to sting you? A plant that poisons milk and killed Abraham Lincoln’s mother? A bean used in assassinations? Check out this list of plants we should fear, some of which may live in our very own homes!
Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) was a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and the first black president of South Africa. He helped bring an end to apartheid and was a global advocate for human rights. Read his biography; then, explore the site to learn more about this remarkable man.
Conflicts may be universal, but most can eventually be resolved. However, researchers estimate that about 5% of conflicts are so entrenched and complex that they seem impossible to solve. In this video series, Peter T. Coleman discusses examples of such conflicts, including how they started and what could possibly end them.
Nature not only has the power to stir human emotions—it also has the power to kill us. This website details the dangers hidden in a beautiful river and how to avoid them.
The tale of the Trojan War has fascinated people for centuries. Why? Check out this site to learn the story of the war, the epics that mention it, and what archaeologists have discovered over the years. While you’re there, be sure to click links to related topics, such as “Greek Mythology” and “Ancient Greece.” There’s a lot to learn.
Thumb cramps, sleeplessness, distractions, falling grades. . . . Is it possible that texting teens are too busy making their voices heard? Read this article to discover what some experts suspect. It may be time to turn off that phone and get some rest.
The world is packed with scary animals. Luckily, most live a long, long way away. Check out this top ten list of frightening animals, including explanations of why they’re scary. You’ll recognize some of them, but others may be quite a surprise.
